“My big, my goal… if someone asked me, “What’s your goal for the gym?” I’d say “I wanna get the 50 people in the company that don’t workout, that have never worked out, into the gym. How do we do that?” I can get anyone that wants to workout in the gym, and I can…that’s easy, that’s not hard. And I can get people fitter, stronger, blah, blah, blah, that’s fun. It’s good. But I wanna get the person that is sedentary. And they’re embarrassed, they’re nervous. They’re intimidated. Whatever it is that they have more negative self-talk than you could ever fathom. How do we get that person in the gym and they… to realize that we’re all on the same playing field? And you step foot in the gym, and you’re fighting the same fight we are.” – Austin Malleolo

Austin Malleolo is a three-time winner of the Northeast Regional (2011-2013) and six-time CrossFit Games competitor, including individual finishes in the Top 10 in 2010 and 2012, and a 5th place finish as a member of Team Reebok CrossFit One in 2017.

Austin got his start in the fitness industry as a personal trainer, and over time, has added an ever-growing list of achievements to his name, including becoming a CrossFit coach, earning his exercise science degree, excelling in his role as a flowmaster on the CrossFit HQ Seminar staff, becoming the head coach at Reebok CrossFit One and owner of Reebok CrossFit One Nation, and developing an online training program, The Ham Plan.

Each year, Reebok brings together CrossFit Games athletes to introduce Reebok’s brand campaign, apparel and footwear for the upcoming year. It’s an opportunity for athletes to give feedback, train together, and spend time with each other in a relaxed environment. I was excited to sit down with Austin at this year’s Reebok Athlete Summit in the Bahamas to chat about how CrossFit has shaped the corporate culture of Reebok, how Austin’s experiences as a youth taught him the importance of personal responsibility and surrounding himself with the right kind of people, and why he is so driven to keep accomplishing more.

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Disclaimer: This podcast is meant to share the experiences of various individuals. It does not provide medical advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from your physician or health care professional.